Gov. Jerry Brown's nominee to serve on the state Supreme Court is expected to be confirmed today despite complaints that she lacks judicial experience and has spent most of her legal career outside of California, according to the Fresno Bee. Leondra Kruger, 38, has clerked for a U.S. Supreme Court justice, served as an attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice, and spent time as a law professor.

Will California's own Ace Smith manage Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign? Politico reports he might be on the short list.

What kind of a year did Los Angeles have in 2014? Vice considers the highs and lows -- from Donald Sterling to the LAPD to Mayor Eric Garcetti's F-bomb. "We've been here, watching the place closely, keeping an eye on the environmental problems, the local politics, the culture, and just the vibe on the streets," per the piece.

An environmental report on Anaheim's $320 million streetcar won't be released until next year, according to the Orange County Register. That's because the city council wants Public Works to evaluate alternative routes. The streetcar is expected to open in 2018.

KPCC looks at Los Angeles' plans to legalize street vending. "The economy, and how people are buying their products and getting their services, is changing a bit. And so street food vending fits into the new shared economy," said Councilman Jose Huizar.

United Teachers Los Angeles is backing away from its demand that LAUSD teachers receive a 10 percent pay increase, reports the Daily News. Union president Alex Caputo-Pearl said the pay proposal was reduced in the hopes that a deal could be reached in the next few months.

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Internal emails show the City Attorney's Office consulted with advocates for hotel employees when it drafted a law on wages. The office did not share similar information with industry groups representing hotels.

Good morning, readers. Welcome to the Maven's Morning Coffee -- a listing of the important headlines, news conferences, votes and announcements you need to know to fuel up and tackle your day.

Internal emails show City Attorney Mike Feuer's office shared early versions of a city ordinance on hotel wages with advocates for hotel workers but not with pro-business groups representing the industry, according to the Daily News. "The emails seemed certain to ratchet up tensions between business and labor groups at City Hall. The City Council has repeatedly passed laws in recent years that benefit labor, angering business groups and weakening their perceived power at City Hall," per the newspaper.

In Riverside, an audit found officials prematurely withdrew $1.2 million in sewer bond money, improperly spent $25,000, and failed to pay back 10 loans by their due date, according to the Press-Enterprise. The city's finance director called the problems "minor."

The New Yorker looks at Los Angeles' plans to make taxi cabs more like Uber. "Uber’s value to Los Angeles is different from Uber’s value to any other city in the country. This is the one city where you have the goals of the civic body running in lockstep with the goals of private entities," said Eric Spiegelman, president of the Board of Taxi Commissioners. The proposal will be presented to the Taxi Commission on Thursday.

About the blog: Represent!

Represent! is your eye on how well government serves citizens and the public interest in Southern California. KPCC's politics and government team posts frequently on transparency, civic engagement, reform efforts and accountability. We invite your comments and suggestions — follow us on Twitter at the links below.